The Nexus 7 is my first official tablet. Even though we had an iPad 2 and a Kindle Fire, they were not exclusively mine so I didn’t really get to put them through the paces. This is my chance to make a tablet device my own.

My Nexus 7 was ordered on a Friday and delivered (late in the day) on the following Tuesday. After it was ordered, I was anxious and excited to get it in my hands. Tuesday found me quite fidgety towards the end of the day. I was so relieved when it finally arrived!

The Nexus 7 comes in a neat, black box, nicely packaged. The box held the Nexus 7, the micro USB cable, the USB charging unit, a quick guide, and warranty. The Nexus 7 feels great in hand– easy to grip and not too heavy. The screen is beautiful but definitely a magnet for fingerprints. There is a power button, volume button, a headset jack, and a micro USB port. Only one camera on board and it faces front for video chats.

The Nexus 7 runs Android 4.1 aka Jelly Bean and it’s smooth and fast! It’s definitely a refinement of Ice Cream Sandwich. So far I haven’t experienced any lags between apps and the like. My touches are recognized rightly and the tablet acts accordingly whether in typing or switching apps or clicking links.

(Most of the above was written on the Nexus 7!)

The MEH – I’ve sat here for a couple of minutes trying to think of some negatives but I’m a little stumped. I know it’s not a perfect device by any means. Would I have liked more than wifi? Maybe. But what would that do to the battery life and do I really want to pay a wireless carrier more money? And yes, a rear facing camera would be nice to show off what I see as I am wont to do when I’m FaceTiming with the niece. But do I find it lacking in the Nexus 7? Not really. Oh, I just thought of something– expandable storage! Now there’s something I wish I had even though my recent phones (the Nexus S and iPhone 4S) also lack the feature. If I want entertainment, I’ll have to be sure to be within wifi range so that I can stream from the cloud. Oh, and screen orientation! Why can’t I look at pictures in landscape mode? I should be able to change that but I haven’t found a way yet.

The GOOD – I enjoy so many things about the Nexus 7 but let me just say one thing– ever since I’ve gotten the Nexus 7, I have not turned on my PC in the evenings. Most of the reason I would go on the computer at night was to blog but I can do so from my Nexus. I can roam the internet freely, GTalk with my friend, check Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus all from the comfort of my couch. This is the life. But what else do I like about the Nexus 7?

* The screen – Tis pretty gorgeous and responsive. Pictures are beautiful, text is sharp, videos lovely. My one gripe is that it’s a magnet for fingerprints but that can be fixed with a screen protector, I suppose. It’s easy on the eyes no matter.

* Google integration – At heart, I’m a gal for Google. Their products (Gmail, Maps, GTalk, G+, Chrome, etc) are my mainstays. With few exceptions, I usually turn to Google for my daily business. Of course the Nexus 7 works well with the Google suite of products. One of the standouts is Google Plus. The app is freakin’ GORGEOUS! Google Drive is another stand-out. Chrome is also fantastic.

* The size – As much as I enjoyed the iPad (and believe me, I enjoyed it immensely), the smaller form factor of the Nexus 7 is perfect for me. I can slip it into a case and slip that into my purse and I’m good to go. It’s easy to hold and not too heavy. The size is perfect for reading books (I use the Kindle app for that), using the IMDB or Wikipedia, and browsing the internet.

*The OS – Android 4.1 aka Jelly Bean is polished and responsive and in the Nexus 7 it really shines. I’ve lived through several versions of Android and Jelly Bean is probably the best I’ve ever used. It works just as it should (you know, just like the iPad). As I mentioned earlier, it’s more of a refinement of Ice Cream Sandwich but in tablet form it’s great.

* Battery life – If a device can last my waking hours without me charging it, I consider it a win. So far I’ve had the Nexus 7 off the plug for a bit over 14 hours on average everyday. Not too bad considering I play a little Angry Birds, wander the internet, and blog. Although I do take the tablet to work, it only gets used during my break and so hardly drains during the day. Charging time isn’t too bad though I haven’t timed it since I usually just charge it when I’m sleeping.

COMPARISONS to other devices

Well, I can only compare the Nexus 7 to the Kindle Fire and the iPad 2 since those are the two that we had for awhile.

Nexus 7 vs iPad 2 – I don’t think it’s fair to compare the two devices since they’re different by size and operating system. In their respective classes, I think they’re at the top. But to compare them head to head is too subjective. It seriously depends on what you want and what you value. I already have an iPhone 4S so the one thing I wish I had on the Nexus 7 (ability to FaceTime), I can do on my phone. Win-win for me!

Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire – This is probably a better comparison (as many reviewers have pointed out). Both are roughly the same size and cost the same with the same on-board storage. I would straight up recommend the Nexus 7. The Kindle Fire is a great device whose value is its tight integration to the Amazon store. It’s almost like the iOS devices in that way. But in my short time with it, I found that it was slow and a bit limited for my taste. It just didn’t wow me in the way the iPad did. The Nexus 7 definitely wows me.

So there it is, my take on the Nexus 7. I love it and I definitely recommend it!